The edition of the newspaper Graham’s Town Journal dated 7 February 1839 carried the following advert notifying the public of the sale of this historic building being the first building constructed in Port Elizabeth after the arrival of the first settler ship, the Chapman.  

Main picture: Scorey’s Hotel with its gardens below it

Advertisment
The present proprietor is leaving Colony.

Early in January 1839, the sale of the extensive property known as Scorey’s Hotel together with all the dwelling houses, outhouses, stabling etc. Unrivalled as an  hotel in the whole colony, it is located a short distance and immediately opposite the landing place. It has a magnificent view of the Bay from the terrace which runs the whole length of the building. At all time it is able to communicate with the anchorage by means of a signal station erected at one end of the premises. It possesses a beautiful view of the Baakens River nearby. It has a fertile garden with fruit trees, watered by a spring near the buildings. A considerable part of the frontage towards the sea is unoccupied and mutable for spacious warehouses or dwelling houses. A comfortable dwelling house detached from hotel which with numerous outbuildings could be used for a wholesale business. Future development of the hotel is unlimited because of an expected increase in demand as a result of the establishment of a steamer service on the coast.

Particulars from Capt. J Small (Cape Town), J. Marshall (Grahamstown) J.O. Smith (Port Elizabeth)

The sale was subsequently postponed to March 1839

Sources
Jon Inggs supplied his notes of the advertisement.